165 replies to this topic

[jmwills]

They have already figured out a way to break it. Demoting the server to a workgroup is simple enough. My clients can access the shares on the server with no issues. However, removing the AD part of the equation seems to have broken the dashboard. The two can ping back and forth without problem.

All application pools and websites are up and running. At this point, it is too much of a gamble to risk and I really don't have the time to waste with it.

[tinkererguy]

New, related article out now:
http://www.winsupers...ver-2012-143644
which ends like this:

Looking ahead, there are some other questions. For example, although last week’s announcement included no mention of Storage Server, I’m told that this product line will continue forward in some capacity (ahem), perhaps with a 2012-based follow-up to Storage Server Essentials.
More soon.

[Joe_Miner]

They have already figured out a way to break it. Demoting the server to a workgroup is simple enough. My clients can access the shares on the server with no issues. However, removing the AD part of the equation seems to have broken the dashboard. The two can ping back and forth without problem.
-snip-

We have lots of time yet -- it'll be interesting to see what S2012e really looks like when it comes out of the gate. Looking forward to yet another learning experience

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

I am so jealous of the time you guys have for this stuff. I can't even keep up with the posts any longer. I have six pages of new posts to read.

[jmwills]

It's either this or ....wait a minute....I do have a life, I think.

[tinkererguy]

We sure got to see some interesting/promising peeks at the beta recently, perhaps the situation is not quite as dire as we first thought...

[tinkererguy]

With the public beta download now available (somehow my RSS feed and notifications didn't alert me to this becoming available 9 hours ago):
http://www.microsoft...ls/default.aspx

[JerryW]

Well, after performing the install and messing around a bit, it (the dashboard) feels somewhat like WHS2011 with a metro interface. Of course, you do have all of the other server capabilities. As a network admin, I feel right at home. Though us MSDN folks won't worry too much, the only thing I would not like is the price tag. Looks like I need to get to work making sure Home Server Status is functioning properly on this platform as well. Means I may have to break down and use the Metro look.

Edited by JerryW, 11 July 2012 - 06:41 PM.

[tinkererguy]

Install under VMware ESXi 5.0 Update 1 went smoothly:
http://tinkertry.com...xi-5-0-update-1

[pcdoc]

Doing the install now on Hyper-V. Curious to see how this plays out. If it works out, I will move it to my test box to test storage spaces and see how it works with my raid card.

[tinkererguy]

Yes, I've done the same -- it's fairly easy actually --:

Remove the Role for Active Directory Certificate Services
Reboot
Go into Command Prompt as Administrator and run dcpromo
Go thru the Wizzard -- since this was a fresh install in VM -- I didn't worry about the warnings (OK, maybe I did) and worked my way thru the wizzard
It'll ask for a new PW for the Administrator Account
Reboot
There you are in the wonderful world of workgroups
I can now see SBS2011e and SBS2011e can see all of my other PC's & Servers

I took a couple of snapshots before doing this so I can go back
I'm going to have to create a VM of a test Client to try Joining to SBS2011e now.

Windows Server 2012 Beta Essentials doesn't allow removal of the Active Directory Certificate Services (not easily anyway), seen in this screenshot:

[jmwills]

You can remove it in the previous version however it breaks the console. Did you try to remove the CA and the CA Web Enrollment separately?

[Joe_Miner]

Windows Server 2012 Beta Essentials doesn't allow removal of the Active Directory Certificate Services (not easily anyway), seen in this screenshot:

We have plenty of time to think this out and eventually transition our home environments to AD -- the trick, for me, would be my need to figure out how to make that transition transparently for other family members.

The speeds you're seeing with this on bare-metal restores is fantastic!

[G. WadeTech]

Windows Server Essentials looks good and with TechNet I am not concerned about the cost of the software. I only have one desktop (truck as Dave calls it) and one personal tablet... the rest are work... two laptops and two tablets. I could move to just Windows 8 but I want some of the features that Server offer that are not in Win8. I wish Microsoft would create a Windows Server Essentials Metro application that added all of the basic Server features to WIn8 for a price... much like Apple does. Thoughts?

[gcoupe]

I wish Microsoft would create a Windows Server Essentials Metro application that added all of the basic Server features to WIn8 for a price... much like Apple does. Thoughts?

Really, the only thing that is missing from using Windows 8 as a WHS replacement is the equivalent of WHS's centralized client PC backup.

I've been saying for some time that we need a Metro App that replicates the client PC backup functionality that is present in WHS, while addressing its limitation (it can’t backup PCs that use EFI/GPT technology). There’s a gap in the market opening up – let’s hope someone will fill it…

[G. WadeTech]

Not sure if anyone else has figured this out or not but the communicated system requirements for the hard drive are 160GB but I tried to give the VM I have of Server Essentials a 30GB HD and it looks like 90GB is the requirement for the Beta at least.

[jmwills]

PCDoc commented on that in another thread. I feel sure that file can be edited but anymore, if you are going to leave it as a DC, I wouldn't fool around with anything less than about 80 gigs.

[pcdoc]

Found out something interesting this morning. As most know, I was having issues pulling photos from WHS 2011 to Windows 8 photo app. Interesting thing is that the same photos loaded on Essentials works with no issues on the same windows 8 system. Go figure. Looks like there is good compatibly there.

[G. WadeTech]

Really, the only thing that is missing from using Windows 8 as a WHS replacement is the equivalent of WHS's centralized client PC backup.

I've been saying for some time that we need a Metro App that replicates the client PC backup functionality that is present in WHS, while addressing its limitation (it can’t backup PCs that use EFI/GPT technology). There’s a gap in the market opening up – let’s hope someone will fill it…

And the remote web access feature... the centralized PC backup feature is only an issue if you have multiple machines on the network and even then you could use the Win8 embedded backup to a network share (both full image and incremental).

[gcoupe]

And the remote web access feature... the centralized PC backup feature is only an issue if you have multiple machines on the network and even then you could use the Win8 embedded backup to a network share (both full image and incremental).

Yes, you're right about the remote web access feature. Personally, I don't use it because it's too bug-ridden to be any use to me. However, the centralized backup feature is elegant, efficient and simple to use. By comparison, having to deal with multiple individual Win8 embedded backups to a network share will be a hassle and error-prone.

Edited by gcoupe, 13 July 2012 - 01:29 PM.